When is too soon for a future grad to apply for a job?

texas_lvn · Jul 6, 2005

I'm graduating in December. I'm not really sure where I'd like to work yet and plan on applying to several different hospitals. Everyone is always asking me if I've gotten a job for after graduation but it seems really soon. I've asked a couple of nurses and one said apply now which seems early while another said wait until 6 weeks before graduation which seems really late. Any advice? :uhoh21:

Think of it this way, go ahead and apply, you will feel confident you will have a job, just do not sign any contracts until after you graduate. I graduated end of April, and had my job waiting for me early before Feb with a sign on bonus. When you graduate, everyone will be looking. That is what happened with me. I was the only graduate able to secure a bonus. Everyone else waited until 2 weeks before graduation. You have finals, are already sick with worry that *something* might happen, are excited about graduating, ect. It is just easier to KNOW it is waiting for you. Good luck whatever you do. Texas

Purdue_Nurse · Jul 7, 2005

Thanks Texas! You're right, it definitely can't hurt to go ahead and apply and get my name in. I'll probably start looking soon. :)

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 7, 2005

I would definately start putting out those feelers NOW. I secured my OB job 3 months prior to graduating.

AKav8trix · Jul 7, 2005

I would definately start putting out those feelers NOW. I secured my OB job 3 months prior to graduating.

I just finally got my first job offer last week, almost a month after graduating, because I didn't start early and was too picky in where I applied. I thought 2 months before graduation was enough to start applying, unfortunately though, I didn't send applications out to everyone and for any position...I wanted a job in critical care and only at specific hospitals.

I also thought it was strange that people expected me to have a job lined up before I even got through the first week of my last term. I was wondering how a manager would want to hire someone who hadn't even shown they would probably make it through the last term of school, let alone pass the NCLEX and get licensed.

Here's what I would do differently next time (thank God I don't have to go through it ever again)...

- Start looking for and asking about internship programs 4-5 months before graduation. If you have one health system or hospital you especially want to get a job at make sure you know well in advance when applications will be available and due for the round of internships that will occur soon after graduation...in my area those who applied early got interviews and were hired...there was lots of competition for every new grad opening

- Apply for anything and everything you might remotely be interested in, even if you don't think you would want to start there...it'll give you lots more options and one of them may even turn out to be the best position for you. It'll boost your confidence and give you practice for when you get the interview for the job you really want

- Make sure to put anticipated date (month) of licensure for RN in your resume and also state when you plan to take the NCLEX in the cover letter

- Try to do your senior practicum on a unit or floor that you think you would like to start your nursing career on and make sure beforehand that it is a unit that typically will consider hiring new grads (the unit I was on was dead set against hiring new grads, I found out too late. Many of my classmates, however, were able to get the job they wanted by precepting in the place they wanted to start in.)

Good luck with school and December is a great time to graduate...you'll avoid the feeding frenzy that occurs when almost everyone else graduates in May and June. :)

Brand New RN

nursejoey05 · Jul 11, 2005

Thanks Texas! You're right, it definitely can't hurt to go ahead and apply and get my name in. I'll probably start looking soon. :)

Hey Purdue Nurse! Have you done any investigating yet? I'm graduating in December also, but from Ivy Tech, so I'm sure your opportunites will be different than mine. I was just curious if you had come across any Lafayette area advice. I have volunteer work set up, but hadn't really put too much thought into finding employment yet. I appreciate anything you are willing to share